MANURE. 213 



"The nature of this road earth ought to be duly 

 considered, when used in the vine compost, and its 

 proportion adjusted according to its quality. In a 

 sandy country it will naturally abound with particles 

 of sand, and long and continued rains will, of course, 

 wash away its best parts. High winds, too, in dry 

 weather, will as certainly deprive it of its lightest 

 and finest parts, especially when roads lie on emi- 

 nences, or enjoy an open exposure. Those materials 

 from roads are therefore preferable, which are pro- 

 duced from an inclosed track in a low situation 

 Pavements, however, and hard roads, produce the 

 best sulture of all. The compost is much better 

 when collected in a moderate dry state, than when it 

 is either very wet or dusty. If scraped off the road 

 in a wet and soft state, when it is become dry it will 

 be hard and cloddy, and will require time to bring it 

 to a proper condition. 



" When thus circumstanced, the best way of recover- 

 ing it is to give it frequent turnings in hard, frosty 

 weather." 



Dead animals may be used in a vine border if 

 placed sufficiently far from the roots to allow of their 

 being decomposed, before the roots reach them, as 

 previously remarked. 



Any decaying matter in a border is very detri- 

 mental. 



